Information about photographs, artwork, posters, and fine art photographs, as well as selected images from the collections of the Minnesota Historical Society are included in this database. These historical collections visually represent Minnesotans, their lives, landscapes, leisure and occupations from the pre-territorial period to the present.

Not all objects have been entered into the database. As of January 1, 2002, 167,500 of the approximately 250,000 objects in the Society's collection have been entered. Sixty percent of those entered have a corresponding digital image. The following collection areas have been entered:

• Photographs: All photographs of places and subjects plus portraits of some of Minnesota's most prominent citizens. We are now entering portraits alphabetically by the individual's last name, beginning with the letter A.
• Art: Approximately 95% of all the artwork in the collection.
• Posters: All posters in the Society's collection.
• Fine Art Photographs: All of the fine art photographs in the collection, including work from the Minnesota 2000 photography exhibition.

As the Minnesota Historical Society continues to enter data, more photographs, artwork, posters, and fine art photographs will be made available on this database.

Help locating objects not already cataloged in the database can be found by contacting the Library located at the Minnesota History Center.

Many of the photograph albums and groups of photographs catalogued as collections are not available on the Visual Resources Database. Information on these photographs can be found in the PALS on-line catalog.

Photograph and digital copies of the objects may be ordered by submitting a Photograph and Digital Reproduction Order Form (PDF) to the Society's Copy Services. Permission and license to use photographic reproductions is granted via a Request for Permission Form (PDF) and may involve a use fee for commercial use.